DFW running club mark 3!! ALL ARE WELCOME!!

redsquirrel80

Good luck whatever you decide Pickle (I've applied for a charity place too as I missed the ballot, and I do usually do one charity 'thing' a year, but not totally convinced I could raise the target, so will have to see...)

InaPickle

redsquirrel80 wrote: »

Good luck whatever you decide Pickle (I've applied for a charity place too as I missed the ballot, and I do usually do one charity 'thing' a year, but not totally convinced I could raise the target, so will have to see...)

Don't know myself but hell. I'm so naive about everything to do with running, what's different about this?!

RichOneday_2

InAPickle - There's absolutely nothing wrong with raising money for a charity.

The problem comes when charities can control the places and act as gatekeepers as to who can or cant take part. As a result they favour the inexperienced with regular runners being made to feel, lets say, less than welcome.

If someone gets a place through the ballot and then chooses to run for a charity of their choice then a) the charity will benefit by a further £400 because they wont have paid for the place and b) the runner will not feel overly pressured into raising a specific sum of money.

And that is how it should be.

I wish you luck but most people find raising £2000 very tough indeed, regardless of the economic climate. The fact that runners are made to feel like failures, and pressured to raise more, if they raise say £600-£1000 for a charity is where the whole thing starts to leave nasty tastes. imho of course.;)

And whats this about 'Poor Becky'? We have to get our digs in when she's not around, otherwise she fights back...:p:p;)

beer_tins

Hi all,

Just checking in, life is a bit hectic at the moment. Made a few discoveries during decorating that made us decide to have the house re-wired (It's old and seemingly dodgy and I think may become a safety issue). So that will take time, expense (don't know how much yet, anything between 2 and 4k I'd say) and upheaval.

But first, we are off on holiday to Spain on Saturday for 2 weeks. I can't even describe how much we're looking forward to that!

Then, when we get back, I need to get the car MOTd and a fault (Turbo charger, I think) checked.

Then it will be the electrics (hopefully!). Plus weddings, birthdays etc. aplenty.

Then I'm off the US for 2 weeks from Oct 25th. With work, unfortunately!

So all in all, a lot going on. Don't be surprised if my posts dry up for a few months. They already kind of have! I'm still running, of course. Squeezed in a 5 miler this morning (it's really getting cold at that time of day now!). I'll be taking my running stuff to Spain and to the US. I'll get a chance to do some running on both of those trips, luckily!

Hope you're all well and keep up the good work!

RichOneday_2

beer_tins wrote: »

Hi all,

Just checking in, life is a bit hectic at the moment. Made a few discoveries during decorating that made us decide to have the house re-wired (It's old and seemingly dodgy and I think may become a safety issue). So that will take time, expense (don't know how much yet, anything between 2 and 4k I'd say) and upheaval.

But first, we are off on holiday to Spain on Saturday for 2 weeks. I can't even describe how much we're looking forward to that!

Then, when we get back, I need to get the car MOTd and a fault (Turbo charger, I think) checked.

Then it will be the electrics (hopefully!). Plus weddings, birthdays etc. aplenty.

Then I'm off the US for 2 weeks from Oct 25th. With work, unfortunately!

So all in all, a lot going on. Don't be surprised if my posts dry up for a few months. They already kind of have! I'm still running, of course. Squeezed in a 5 miler this morning (it's really getting cold at that time of day now!). I'll be taking my running stuff to Spain and to the US. I'll get a chance to do some running on both of those trips, luckily!

Hope you're all well and keep up the good work!

Oi, there's nothing wrong with being old and seemingly dodgy!:p

(Thought I'd get that one in before UK surfaces)

Enjoy the hols - we'll be going to Spain just as you're coming back so make sure you clean up after yourselves and leave it nice and tidy!:D:D

redsquirrel80

Have a good holiday Beertins and I hope the house stuff is not too stressful!

InaPickle

RichOneday wrote: »

InAPickle - There's absolutely nothing wrong with raising money for a charity.

The problem comes when charities can control the places and act as gatekeepers as to who can or cant take part. As a result they favour the inexperienced with regular runners being made to feel, lets say, less than welcome.

If someone gets a place through the ballot and then chooses to run for a charity of their choice then a) the charity will benefit by a further £400 because they wont have paid for the place and b) the runner will not feel overly pressured into raising a specific sum of money.

And that is how it should be.

I wish you luck but most people find raising £2000 very tough indeed, regardless of the economic climate. The fact that runners are made to feel like failures, and pressured to raise more, if they raise say £600-£1000 for a charity is where the whole thing starts to leave nasty tastes. imho of course.;)

And whats this about 'Poor Becky'? We have to get our digs in when she's not around, otherwise she fights back...:p:p;)

I get what you mean, and thanks for the advice: if I get the option of a public ballot place I'll take it, but I'm aware that the chances are fairly small (or so it seems). At least this way, it will happen one way or another.

And as for Becky...well. we can't have her fighting back, can we?!

bj-sailaway

I'm involved in a lot of charity fund raising, and I used to work for a charity that runs hospital clinics in India. I now only get involved in support small charitable groups; although I have every respect for anyone who fund raises for any charity.

But remember, not only are the charity £400 down for the cost of the place, about 10% of what you raise goes to the marketing company that handle this for the charity, so that's another £200 out of your £2,000! So, once you've raised £600 - only beyond that point do the charity start to benefit.

Another gripe of mine with this system is that people run unfit - not just because of the way these races are marketed, but because they've committed to raise the funds and feel unable to pull out. My daughters are with St John Ambulance, and every year this is causing more and more problems on the day. These funded places are literally killing people!

But - I love the spirit, patriotism, determination of the marathon - and have 200% respect and appreciation for all that enter - because they do it with the very best of intentions. It's the marketing I can't go along with.


Don't suppose anyone has a place for the Ashtead 10K they don't want? It's fully booked - boo hoo.

InaPickle

bj-sailaway wrote: »

I'm involved in a lot of charity fund raising, and I used to work for a charity that runs hospital clinics in India. I now only get involved in support small charitable groups; although I have every respect for anyone who fund raises for any charity.

But remember, not only are the charity £400 down for the cost of the place, about 10% of what you raise goes to the marketing company that handle this for the charity, so that's another £200 out of your £2,000! So, once you've raised £600 - only beyond that point do the charity start to benefit.

Another gripe of mine with this system is that people run unfit - not just because of the way these races are marketed, but because they've committed to raise the funds and feel unable to pull out. My daughters are with St John Ambulance, and every year this is causing more and more problems on the day. These funded places are literally killing people!

But - I love the spirit, patriotism, determination of the marathon - and have 200% respect and appreciation for all that enter - because they do it with the very best of intentions. It's the marketing I can't go along with.


Don't suppose anyone has a place for the Ashtead 10K they don't want? It's fully booked - boo hoo.

Fair enough. I'm just going to have to make sure that I'm race-fit for the day. *Gulp*

kmstuart

Rich - I'm sure if Becky cycled behind you with a cattle prod you'd be sub 1:15 for a half Can't think why she'd be happy doing that can you

My first marathon was FLM back in 2007 via a charity spot, needed to raise £2000 but handily work donated £1500 and i got a further £700 from collegues at work.